A Crucial Comparison between Modular Structures and Traditional Structures: What You Need to Know

Modular structures are now a lot more popular and for good reason. The popularity of modular structures perhaps stems from the fact that they are less expensive than traditional structures, but they can be made from the same materials as conventional buildings as well, such as metal, concrete, and wood. But perhaps another reason for the increasing popularity of modular structures is the fact that they are easy to build and don’t take as much time to construct as traditional structures. But if you would like to learn more about modular structures and would like to know about their main differences (and similarities) with conventional buildings, here’s a crucial comparison between modular structures and traditional structures: what you need to know.

The timescale

Modular structures take less time to construct than a traditional structure. With traditional structures, you may have to wait between 1 year to 2 years, and although some traditional buildings may take as little as three months, modular buildings only take about four weeks to three months. This includes the entire project – from the delivery as well as the installation to the actual construction of the structure.

The cost of construction

It can be said that modular buildings are cheaper than traditional buildings, as the average expense of traditional buildings will significantly depend on the structure’s design as well as purpose. Modular structures can cost from 10 to 40% less than conventional structures which are of the same specification and size. On average, a modular building can cost about 500 GBP per square metre, whilst traditional structures can cost from 750 GBP per square metre.

The flexibility

When it comes to flexibility, modular structures don’t disappoint, either. For instance, you can extend your modular structure based on the available space and the design, and you can also repurpose your modular structure so it can be used in another way. But while you can also repurpose your traditional structure so that you can use it differently, you cannot transport a conventional structure, unlike a modular one. Also, you can sell modular structures separately, but you cannot sell a traditional structure in parts as it often has to be a broader sale of the actual site.

The lifespan

Aside from flexibility, there is something to be said about the lifespan of modular buildings. Although traditional structures may have the longest lifespan of about a hundred years depending on the materials used, how the building is constructed, and the quality of the actual construction, you can also expect a lot with the lifespan of modular buildings. Modular structure lifespans can extend up to 60 years or more.

Other considerations

With modular buildings, you also have the benefit of a structure which is more environmentally-friendly. As a matter of fact, the lifelong carbon footprint generated by a modular structure is as much as 90% lower compared to traditional structures. The production of modular structures is also quality-controlled, which reduces wastage, and it has a short building time, which further decreases the use of fuel for transport and emissions from the work.